ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shack

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈʃæk// UK //ʃˈæk// shack Archaic Dialect Slang

n. a small, simple building that is often poorly made. You might see one used for storing tools or as a basic shelter in the woods.

n. a roughly built hut or cabin, typically constructed from wood or metal scraps. Often implies a lack of modern amenities or a temporary nature.


SIMPLE

He lives in a small wooden shack by the beach.

CONTEXTUAL

The fishermen built a temporary shack on the shore to store their nets and equipment during the winter.

COMPLEX

Tucked away behind the main estate, the dilapidated shack served as a quiet retreat for the gardener, despite its leaking roof and uneven floorboards.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

Unknown. Some authorities derive this word from Mexican Spanish jacal, from Nahuatl xacalli (“adobe hut”). Alternatively, the word may instead come from ramshackle/ramshackly (e.g., old ramshackly house) or perhaps it may be a back-formation from shackly. Compare Tavringer Romani hak (“place, house”), Traveller Norwegian hak (“place”).

Etymology 2

Obsolete variant of shake. Compare Scots shag (“refuse of barley or oats”).

Etymology 3

From shagged or shagged out.

Usage

Often carries a connotation of poverty or neglect, though it can also describe a rustic, intentional shelter.

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